


Falling

by Xuwukuwun



Category: NINE PERCENT (Band), 偶像练习生 | Idol Producer (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Cute 'n Scary Linong, Drink Spiking, Love Triangles, M/M, Poor Chengcheng, Smut, Zhangjing's Always Angry, he didn't sign up for this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-09 09:22:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15264372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xuwukuwun/pseuds/Xuwukuwun
Summary: In which Ziyi pines after Xukun, who pines after Zhengting. Invited by the latter, Ziyi and Xukun attend their first college frat party, but when they get split up, Ziyi doesn't see his best friend again until the next morning, when he's all over social media.Fuck.





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've read over this a few times, but I doubt I've gotten rid of all the mistakes, so I apologize in advance. I'll update the characters list and ships list as the story progresses, so don't worry if a lot feels missing at the moment. If you're easily upset, I'd take a quick look at the tags, just to make sure this story is for you. As always, comments and suggestions are always appreciated!

   "Thank you for showing me around," Xukun says, his voice soft and friendly as he extends a hand to his tour guide and fellow student. He's never been one to lust solely over people's appearances, but his guide, Zhengting, is Adonis incarnate. From head to toe, he's beautiful, with a warm smile, inviting eyes, and perfectly-toned arms visible past the sleeve of his baby blue t-shirt.

  
   Xukun's a sucker for arms.

  
   "And thank _you_ for being so patient with me," Zhengting responds, beaming the actual bloody sun back in Xukun's face. "It's hard being a freshie, so I totally understand the struggle. Just keep your chin up, and try to balance your social life with your extracurriculars and school work. Keeping everything in a calendar has really helped me, if you want to do the same." He turns his body away from Xukun, looking as though he's about to leave, but something holds him in place. "Say, how would you like to come to a frat party tonight? That's practically a rite of passage, you know." Xukun wants to do the responsible thing and say no. He really, really does. But how can any human being reject such a sweet, angelic face?

  
   "Of course!" he answers, his smile wavering. This is his first true taste of adult life; he should be preparing, making sure he's ready for classes. But, no, he's choosing to go to a crazy college party, instead. "I'd love to!"

  
   "Great!" Zhengting claps his hands together with excitement, and Xukun feels himself falling faster every moment. "Beta Delta Xi, okay? Really, you don't want to show up at the wrong party. Pretty sure it's a rock star theme, but..." His eyes bounce up and down the younger's figure, "don't go for the 80's kind. You're far too cute for that." Xukun's eyes snap open, his jaw going slack, but Zhengting is already walking away.

  
    _Fuck._ He's hit rock bottom, and it feels like there's nothing else to do but keep falling.

 

* * *

 

 

   "Damn, where've you been, bro?" Ziyi, asks, barely glancing up from his MacBook screen as his roommate all but bounces into their room. He can hear Xukun's excited squeaking, no matter how hard he tries to suppress it, and a small smile tugs at one corner of his mouth. "Let me guess: the guide was a hella hot upperclassman, and you're pretty sure he was just putting the moves on you."

  
   "How'd you know?" Xukun asks through a chuckle, perching on the edge of his bed, bracing his hands against it as he leans forward curiously. "Are you psychic, bro?"

  
   "Something like that," is the response he gets, and his eyes grow wide.

  
   "W-"

  
   "I'm kidding. Your tour ended right beneath the window, but continue believing that I have otherworldly powers, by all means. It's endearing." Now, Ziyi's looking up from his screen, a fond smile softening out his strong features.

  
   "Oh." There's a short moment of silence, but then Xukun's talking again. "His name's Zhengting -- Zhu Zhengting, I think -- and he's a junior. He's the sweetest guy ever, and he's really smart, too. He kinda gives me motherly vibes... Is it weird if I'm into that?"

  
   Silence.

  
   "Bro?"

  
   "Right, sorry." Ziyi clears his throat, and then shakes his head briefly. "It's nothing. I recognize his name, but I can't think from where. Probably really active in the school's community, or something. So, you're going to a Beta party, huh? Are you gonna be safe, and make good choices?" Xukun nods, and Ziyi can't help but notice how his tongue absently flicks out to sweep over his lower lip.

  
   "Mhm! And you're coming with me, just to make sure that I'm making the best choices possible," Xukun tells him with a broad grin, and Ziyi feels himself falling, deep into the other's smile.

  
   Does he even realize how attractive he is?

  
   "Of course I am." A sarcastically rueful chuckle, and Ziyi's back to pretending not to notice what Xukun's doing. But, really, when is he ever minding his own business while Xukun's in the room? He can barely get to typing another word, when he senses the smaller male's presence at the foot of his bed. He glances up.

  
   "You need to find an outfit, Ziyi," Xukun says, before promptly disappearing into his closet. Ziyi can only smile as he sets his device to the side, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He's going to have to find something to wear, and fast.

 

* * *

 

 

   When Xukun steps out of the bathroom in smokey eye makeup and a mesh shirt, Ziyi feels his jaw drop, while another part of him instinctively rises. Fuck. Xukun was gorgeous before, but now he looks like nothing short of a supermodel, with a leather choker and long, silver earring piecing his outfit together perfectly. He's wearing some sort of deep blue jacket, as well, and it looks all types of _right._ Seriously, if people had their own soulmate outfits, Ziyi knows this would be Xukun's.

  
   "Is this too much?" Xukun asks, glancing down at himself as a worried frown creases his brow. "I can't tell if this gives rocker vibes, or stripper vibes."

  
   "N-no! You look amazing, bro. Seriously." Ziyi stumbles over his words, but his message seems to have been clear, as a shy smile creeps onto Xukun's face. It almost seems too sweet for his current appearance, but Ziyi finds that it oddly fitting.

  
   "You look great, too, bro. I love your leather jacket... Very cool." Xukun gives his best friend a thumbs up, a broad grin on his face as he reaches for his hand to pull him off the bed. "You ready to go?"

  
   "Yeah, bro," Ziyi replies. He heads to the door to open it, allowing Xukun through before him, and proceeds to amble down the hallway with the boy. Odd. For someone who was so excited only minutes ago, Xukun seems strangely quiet now. "You okay?" he asks.

  
   "Yeah, I'm just a little nervous," Xukun admits, his eyes trained on the carpeted floor as they make their way down the stairs, mostly in silence.

  
   It takes a while for Ziyi to reply, but he eventually manages a firm, "You'll be fine. Zhengting sounds like he likes you a lot, and you look especially good tonight. If you ask me, he won't be able to keep his hands off you." It hurts more to say than he'd originally thought, yet a quick glance reveals the contented smile that graces Xukun's lips. The younger turns to him, his eyes practically shining with all the stars in the universe.

  
   "Thank you so much, Ziyi. You're seriously the best friend I've ever had, and that's something I can be confident in saying. Thank you for being here for me all this time." If something could be such a perfect balance of bitter and sweet, this would be it. The word "friend" is so foul, yet everything else causes a pink tint to colour Ziyi's cheeks, even in the cool summer evening. Internally, Ziyi praises the dim lighting for preserving his image just that little bit longer.

  
   The rest of their walk passes with casual conversation, every word as fleeting and as precious as the last, until the pair arrives outside the Beta Delta Xi house. Zhengting is waiting outside to take them inside. Ziyi's heart swells with jealousy at the overly-friendly hug Zhengting gives Xukun.

  
   "It's great to see you guys!" Zhengting exclaims. "You look amazing, Xukun. Honestly, I think you've already put all my friends to shame." He turns to cast Ziyi a short-lived smile, and no matter how bright it is, Ziyi can tell he's unwelcome. "You look good, um..."

  
   "Ziyi."

  
   "Right. I love the whole leather jacket thing you've got going on; very cool."

  
   "That's what I said!" Xukun laughs. Ziyi doesn't miss how Zhengting's hand brushes against Xukun's, but there's nothing he can do. He feels so inferior, just standing near the man. He's really gone all-out, his hair styled up in what Xukun used to call a "comma hairstyle" when they were kids. He's wearing mismatched contact lenses -- one a deep brown, the other a verdant green -- and his carefully-applied crimson eyeshadow gives a look of seductiveness that Ziyi's makeup-free face could never wish to achieve. He's got a metal bar hanging from an otherwise studded ear, and a black-and-white sleeveless, low-cut vest with sparkling red trimming that glistens under the moonlight. His arms and chest almost make Ziyi want to drool.

  
   Almost.

  
   Okay, he's handsome. Incredibly so. But what does that matter?

  
   "We're missing the party! Stick close to me, okay, guys?" Zhengting places a hand on Xukun's lower back and guides him inside, dragging Ziyi behind them by the wrist. They get separated almost immediately upon entry, with a swarm of people mobbing Zhengting and Xukun. Ziyi barely makes two steps towards them before he feels a firm grip on his wrist, and he's being dragged into a closet by a girl who's obviously drunk off her ass.

  
   At least, she kisses like she is.

 

* * *

 

   "This is Xukun!" Zhengting introduces Xukun with a beaming smile, his hand still pleasantly resting against the small of Xukun's back. "He's a freshman, so try to take it easy on him, yeah? This shouldn't have to be his last party." He casts a purposeful glance towards a man with mint-green hair. "That means _no spiking his drinks,_ Wenjun. I want him sober." He smirks knowingly, and smouldering eyes meet Xukun's, sending thrills down the younger's spine. "At least, for now." All Xukun can think, over and over like a mantra, is that Zhengting looks like literal sin. Sex on legs, if you will.

  
   "Does that mean his immunity only lasts until you say otherwise?" Wenjun asks, a lazily mischievous grin adorning his broad, catlike face.

  
   "Jeez, dude," a redheaded boy snorts, elbowing Wenjun in the side. "Isn't it obvious? Zhengting just wants to intoxicate the little freshie himse-"

  
   "'Little freshie', Chengcheng? Really?" A lanky boy quirks a brow almost accusingly at the redhead. "You're a 'little freshie', unless I'm mistaken. I don't care if you and Justin have been sneaking into these parties since high school, or that Justin still is. This is your first Beta party as a big boy."

  
   "Jeez, Xin-"

  
   "Okay, I'm taking my 'little freshie' somewhere with a lot less arguing. Preferably the drinks table. Keep an eye on the party, and make sure everyone's having fun," Zhengting instructs sternly, before turning to Xukun with a warm smile. "Have you ever had alcohol before, Kunkun?"

  
    _Kunkun._

  
   "I mean, maybe once or twice," he lies, feigning an air of nonchalance.

  
   "Are you lying to me?" Rather than sounding disappointed, Zhengting just sounds amused, and he starts weaving his way through the crowd with a firm hold on Xukun's hand.

  
   "Maybe," Xukun answers playfully, but he knows Zhengting can't hear him over the drunk crowd and the bass thumping rhythmically through their chests. It's only when they get to the table that he has enough time to gather himself, and think. Where's Ziyi? Did he leave at the door, or has he already been whisked away by a crowd of people who want to be his friend? Ziyi's always been the cool one, after all. With his intimidating appearance and contrastingly soft heart, Ziyi barely has to lift a finger to win the attraction of many. Despite all this, he's always remained humble, and Xukun respects him greatly for it.

  
   "Drink?" Zhengting turns to him, holding out a red plastic cup, which Xukun accepts with a curious smile.

  
   "What is this?" Xukun asks, not waiting to take a sip of the amber liquid. Immediately, he scrunches up his nose, his eyes squinting at the burning sensation in the back of his throat. It takes him a few seconds to realize Zhengting's laughing at him. "Hey!" he coughs out, even though he's laughing, too.

  
   "It's my secret recipe," Zhengting tells him with a subtle wink. "I call it my 'special love potion', but admittedly, I've never tried it on someone as cute as you. Do you think you'll succumb to it, Kunkun?"

  
   "Psh, I'll kick its ass," Xukun says, waving a hand dismissively as he takes another sip. This time, his reaction is a lot less violent.

  
   "Of course." Zhengting chuckles as he casts his gaze out into the mob of people dancing wildly. His eyes are absent for a moment, before he glances back over at Xukun, just as the boy is downing the dregs from the bottom of the cup. "Wanna dance?"

  
   "Sure." Xukun nods, and Zhengting guides him to the outskirts of the mob, where he pulls Xukun back against his chest with a sultry smirk. He sways alluringly to the music, which Xukun notes with a hint of amusement isn't rock at all, his warm hands resting on the other's hips. Xukun leans back against him as he sways as well, resting his head back against a broad shoulder as he brings up a hand to cup the side of Zhengting's face.

  
   "You really know how to dance, don't you?" Zhengting chuckles lowly against his ear, and the implications of his words are clear.

  
   "So do you," Xukun responds with a grin, and in a bold move, connects his lips with Zhengting's. The man's lips are warm and sweet, and the way his grip tightens on Xukun's hips sends the blond into a dizzy frenzy.

  
   "Eager little bitch, aren't you?" Zhengting asks as their lips part.

  
   "What?" Xukun pulls away, taken aback. What the fuck is he supposed to make of something like that?

  
   "Eager for a kiss, I said." Zhengting's eyebrows are drawn together in confusion, and Xukun feels a guilty pang in his chest.

  
   "Sorry," Xukun mumbles with a sheepish grin, his hands resting on Zhengting's shoulders as he steps closer to the man once again. "I feel a little weird, I guess. Misheard you."

  
   "It's okay," Zhengting replies, laughing lightly with amusement as he pulls the boy even closer by his hips, starting to grind against him. "Do you need to sit down?"

  
   "No, don't worry," Xukun tells him, but as the song wears on, the suggestion starts to sound more and more pleasant. Before he realizes it, he's practically draping himself over his dance partner, the room spinning in a blur.

  
   "Fuck, Kunkun," Zhengting hisses, holding him upright as best as he can as he starts to lead the stumbling boy down the emptiest hallway. "I'll lie you down, okay? You shouldn't have had so much to drink."

  
    _So much to drink?_ Xukun only remembers having one cup, but his mind is getting fuzzier by the second; he's probably just forgotten.

  
   "Ting..." Xukun murmurs sleepily, the feeling of warm arms around him lulling him into a sense of numb relaxation.

  
   "It's okay, Kunkun," Zhengting whispers softly as he lies him down on a plush bed. "I've got you... Just relax, baby. I'll make you feel good, I promise."

  
   "Wh..."

  
   "Ssh..." Zhengting strokes the hair away from his forehead gently, despite the wicked smile on his face. Once he's sure Xukun's completely out of it, he stands back, undoing the red belt around his vest with a smirk. Simply looking at the boy's unconscious form is enough to keep his conscience at bay. He sheds his top and crawls on top of Xukun, nuzzling underneath the boy's chin.

  
   He smells absolutely divine.


	2. 2

   Xukun wakes up, his head pounding and his body aching all over. A quick take-in of the room bathed in morning light, and he feels a sudden stab of fear. _What happened?_ Should he be more afraid of the fact that he doesn't remember anything, or of the fact that he's completely naked?

   "Kunkun?" It's Zhengting. "I'm so sorry... Wenjun spiked your drink last night, and some of the seniors got to you before I could. I found you outside, so I took you in here to rest. Your clothes are right here," he pats a folded-up pile of the boy's clothing, "at the foot of the bed. It's totally okay if you need to stay here, okay? I don't know what happened in detail, but it... it seemed rough. I had to clean you up a bit."

   "I'm fine." Xukun swallows around the lump in his throat, ignoring the burning of the tears welling up in his eyes. " _It's_ fine. I'll go back to my dorm, and get out of your hair." Ignoring Zhengting's instructions to lie back down lest he hurt himself, Xukun pushes himself up and grabs his shirt, trying his best to cover up his lower half, red-cheeked, as he does so. He almost wishes he'd worn something more comfortable, something less attention-grabbing, because with each article of clothing he manages to work his way into, he feels himself want to curl up and die that little bit more.

    _What was he thinking?_

   "Maybe it's crossing the line, but I put my number in your phone, Kunkun. Text me when you get home safe, okay?" Zhengting says, but Xukun's still barely listening. It feels as though he's trapped underwater, everything around him muffled and surreal. Where was Ziyi when his drink was spiked? Is he okay now? Is he home, worried about why his roommate never came home last night? Xukun's stomach churns, a million different possibilities playing out in his head.

   "Did you see Ziyi last night?" he asks, opting for placing his choker in the back pocket of his jeans. He misses how Zhengting scowls, looking up from the floor to face the boy mere seconds after.

   "Yeah. When I saw him, he was making out with some drunk chick. Don't worry, he looked like he was having lots of fun," Zhengting says, smiling reassuringly. "He barely touched the alcohol, though. What kind of guy goes to a party and doesn't drink?"

   "Ziyi," Xukun responds curtly as he finishes lacing up his boots. "I brought him along to keep me responsible, but I guess that failed, huh?"

   "Hey." Now, Zhengting's scowling again, and he makes damn sure Xukun can tell. "Nothing that happened last night was your fault, okay? You're just a victim, Kunkun." _Victim._ The word makes Xukun's blood boil, despite his outwardly calm demeanour.

   "I'm leaving." Xukun stands up, and for all but a moment, it really seems like he's going to storm out wordlessly. He makes it all the way to the front door, Zhengting trailing after him anxiously, before he stops, just _hovering_ with his fingers wrapped around the door handle. "Thank you, Ting," he mumbles, "for helping me." Zhengting smiles, all shining teeth and crescent-moon eyes.

   "You're welcome, Kunkun. Get home safe, okay?"

   Xukun nods, giving the other a small smile. Compared to last night, Zhengting looks like an entirely different person, in grey sweatpants and a white t-shirt. His hair looks soft and fluffy, all the makeup that'd harshened out his delicate features long gone. Once again, he looks like an angel. "I will, I promise." He allows a slight smile to himself, before stepping outside into the warm morning air.

 

* * *

 

 

   Xukun closes the door quietly behind him, not wanting to disturb Ziyi from his writing, but a soft voice from behind him immediately marks his mission a failure. He stiffens involuntarily.

   "Are you okay, Kun?"

   Xukun wants to lie. He really, really does, but the snickering and whispering that seemed to plague him all the way from the Beta house to the front doors of his dorm tell him precisely what he doesn't want to believe. _Everyone knows what happened._ Ziyi knows what happened. In fact, Xukun's probably the only person on all of campus who _doesn't_ know what happened.

   "Kun." This time, Ziyi's voice is firmer, and it squeezes a response out of him.

   "Not really." His voice cracks and he furiously blinks away the tears that start to form in his eyes as he turns around. He keeps his head low as he makes his way over to his bed, removing his jacket and dropping it onto the mattress. Before he can do anything else, strong arms spin him around and wrap around his middle, squeezing the breath out of him.

   "I'm so sorry I didn't do anything, Kunkun. Some woman called Jieqiong kept trying to distract me all night. I tried to find you, but she told me you'd gone back to our dorm... You can imagine, I was pretty shaken when the lights were out, the door was locked, and you weren't here," Ziyi practically whispered, his voice more delicate and dry than any of the dead leaves starting to scatter across campus. "You must be so scared right now. I'm so, so fucking sorry. What happened to you... I really never thought that would happen, not here. The student body is so small in comparison to other places, so I really didn't think anything crazy would happen. I was so fucking stupid, Kunkun."

   "It's not your fault," Xukun reassures the other, rubbing his lower back comfortingly as they pull apart, just enough to look each other in the eyes. "It was mine. I must've drank so much that I blacked out, because I really don't remember a thing." Ziyi's eyebrows draw together, and for a second, Xukun thinks he's about to say something important. Instead, he pulls out his phone, and guides Xukun to sit down next to him on the edge of his bed.

   "It's all over the campus message board, bro," Ziyi tells him carefully, but however gentle his words are, it still sends a wave of dread crashing over Xukun's body. "The entire student body can see it. Some comments are really supportive, and-"

   "Comments?" Xukun can't fucking believe it. In a brief burst of panic, he snatches the phone from Ziyi's hands. It feels as though his heart has dropped right through his diaphragm and into his stomach, a sudden feeling of nausea overpowering his senses. _How could he not remember this?_ It feels like something he should remember, but looking at the photos, it's as though he's looking at a total stranger. He barely recognizes himself.

    _"I wonder what benefits that facial has ;P"_ is all he manages to read before Ziyi snatches his phone back, his lower lip ensnared between his teeth.

   "You honestly don't remember?" Ziyi asks.

   Xukun shakes his head. "No, but..." It doesn't add up. Zhengting told him he'd found him outside, but the photos online are all from the bedroom Xukun woke up in.

   Someone knocks on the door, and Xukun's head immediately snaps in the direction of the sound.

   "Calm down, Kun. It's probably just the friends I met last night." He looks almost sheepish. "I was gonna start a search party for you, but you showed up a few minutes after I made the calls." He stands up and goes to open the door, and three people step in. The first boy is noticeably shorter than the other two, and offers Xukun a toothy smile. He's obviously rather nervous, unsure of how to act around him, but Xukun doesn't mind. If he were in the boy's shoes, he wouldn't know how to act, either. The second boy is incredibly handsome, and Xukun can't help but think he looks like a model. He has a cool air about him, his face set with fashionable nonchalance, but Xukun notices that he refuses to make eye contact with him. The final boy is the tallest of the three, and screams of innocence from head to toe. He carries a worried expression on his face, and his eyes refuse to wander from Xukun's.

   It's only now that Xukun realizes he still hasn't changed his clothes, and pulls his jacket over his chest to hide his exposing shirt.

   "This is Zhangjing, Yanjun, and Linong," Ziyi tells him, his smile tinged with confliction. Two of the boys wave, but the handsome one just nods his greeting, his eyes focused on the wall behind Xukun instead of on him.

   "Are you okay?" the tallest of the three, presumably Linong, asks.

   "I'm fine," Xukun reassures him, although his tone is flat and unconvincing.

   "Ziyi was texting you all night, you know. You had him scared to death!" Now, the shortest one -- Zhangjing, he thinks -- is talking, and it's easy to tell he's the most talkative of the three of them. Xukun frowns suspiciously, switching on his phone to open his messenger app. Not only does he have no new messages from Ziyi, but every chat he has is completely empty, all the messages gone.

   "No, I... There's nothing here," Xukun mumbles, Ziyi immediately drawing to his side to peer over his shoulder with concern. "There was probably some bug in the latest update."

   "No, someone tampered with your phone. You're using Apple, like I am, and my texts are all fine." Yanjun finally speaks up, holding his hand out with pursed lips. "May I see that, for a moment?"

   Xukun nods, passing over his phone; it's not like he has anything to hide anymore, anyway.

   "Okay, just a few changes in your settings, and..." Yanjun's practically glaring at the phone, deep in concentration as he follows through a routine that seems to be oiled to perfection. "Here you go." He smiles, suddenly thrice as attractive as he was before, and hands the phone back to its owner. "I couldn't recover everything, but anything that's been sent to you within the past week is there."

   "Thank you," Xukun responds, although any further words he can use to convey his appreciation are lost. How did Yanjun do that? He wants to ask, but Zhangjing speaks up before he can.

   "Who the _fuck_ hates you enough to delete all your messages?" he bursts out, and all Xukun can think, with a great degree of amusement, is that he seems a lot like an angry elf. "Seriously, someone's out to get you, kid." Linong, maintaining eye contact with Xukun and smiling brightly, elbows his friend rather roughly in the ribs.

   "Don't be a jerk," he says, paying the shorter male no mind as the latter rubs his side gingerly and mutters to himself. "Sorry, Kunkun. Is there anything you want to do about this? We could try reporting it to the administration, and-"

   "No," Yanjun cuts him off, shaking his head. "You're a freshman, so it makes sense that you don't know, Nongnong, but the dean is Zhu Zhengting's father. Bi Wenjun's mother, Fan Chengcheng's older sister, and Huang Xinchun's father all work as professors here, and Ding Zeren's uncle works as one of the guidance counsellors. If Xukun thinks someone at that house's party fucked with his drink, those rich bastards are more likely to throw a shit ton of money his way than actually help him press charges. I can guarantee you at least three quarters of the student body have seen that stupid photo, but again, I doubt one can expect much justice from that. We need to make whoever did this to you admit it, Xukun, so that there's no getting around it, no money shielding them from punishment."

   "What the fuck, dude," Zhangjing murmurs, his eyes wide with admiration. "You're a genius. An evil genius, mind you, but that just makes you sexi- It makes you cooler." Yanjun grins, giving his friend a double thumbs-up.

   "Aw, thanks, dude." He chuckles, pulling the shorter into a playful headlock that has Xukun smiling fondly as he watches them. No matter who you are, it's obvious to tell from a glance how close the pair is, how much they rely on each other. They have an unspoken bond, and it's nothing short of admirable.

   "So we need to go and ask questions," Ziyi muses, nodding slowly with his lips thoughtfully puckered. "And we need to get dirt on someone in Beta. Are you okay with all this, Xukun?"

   "Damn right I am," he responds almost instantly. "I feel like I should be traumatized by this, but I still don't even really know what happened... It all feels like a dream. I'm terrified and humiliated, but I need to _know_ , Ziyi. I need to know who did it, I need to know what happened, and why. It could happen to any of you, unless we bust the perpetrator now."

   "Pretty brave, all things considered," Yanjun comments, his warm eyes finally locking with Xukun's. "We'll help you, so don't charge into anything alone. I can think of a million ways to find out everything you need to know, and more, but I need to know how you want to play this."

   "Do anything you need to do," Xukun responds, feeling himself relax under the boy's gaze. Yanjun seems to be one of those people one would want by their side, under any and every circumstance. He's intelligent, cool, and at least _looks_ like he knows what he's doing. Xukun wants to be just like him. "Just consult me, first. Always consult me."

   "I'm friends with Fan Chengcheng, one of their newest recruits," Linong adds, his face set with a foreign stoicism. "I'll talk to him."

   Xukun smiles appreciatively. "Thank you all so, so much." Hugs are exchanged, some more awkward than others, and the three newcomers leave.

   "Just rest today, Xukun," Ziyi tells him, and gives him a friendly shove into the bathroom. "Have a shower, first, and get changed." And with that, he plops back onto his bed, and resumes his writing.

 

* * *

 

 

   It's a mere three hours later when Xukun gets a text from Linong, sent to a group chat entitled _"Friends"_ , which is followed by a cute flower emoji. _How fucking adorable._ The message tells everyone to meet in Linong's room, and has a Google Maps link attached, despite it being in the very same building as Xukun's and Ziyi's. _Just how damn cute can a person be?_

   "Did you get the message, bro?" Ziyi asks, glancing over at Xukun, who's now lying on his bed, on top of his covers, phone in hand.

   "Yeah," Xukun responds, grinning. "Your friend's cute. Adorable, even. Wanna tell me how you met _him_ at a frat party?" Ziyi chuckles and gives his head a firm shake, although it's more of an _I-can't-believe-it-either-bro_ shake than an _it's-none-of-your-damn-business-Xukun_ shake.

   "I dunno. Let's go?" Without waiting for Xukun to respond, Ziyi gently takes his hand and leads him two floors upwards, to Linong's room. He knocks on the door, but is met with a thumping noise, and then a loud crash.

   "Just a second!" comes Linong's voice from inside.

   "Damn, bro, are you okay in there?" Ziyi calls out, but instead of a response, all he hears is shuffling, and muttered curses. There're a few low, stifled groans, but still no response.

   "The hell's going on in there?" Zhangjing demands, barely off the top stair before he's started to speak. "I heard that damn crash from the first floor!" He pounds on the door, Yanjun standing behind the group with an amused grin resting lazily on his face. "Let us in, Nongnong! Now!"

   "Right! Coming, coming!" They hear Linong padding over to the door, and lots of metallic sliding and clicking. Eventually, the door opens, and Linong's sunny face is poking around the door. "Keep it down, okay? We don't wanna draw any attention to ourselves."

   "It's a bit late for that," Yanjun mutters as they step inside, catching how Xukun curiously gazes at the insane amount of locks and bolts Linong has on his door.

    _What does he even need so many locks for?_

   "Holy shit, Linong!" Zhangjing gasps, thumping the younger in the chest, his mouth agape, wide eyes staring at his bed. "What the hell have you done? We're screwed, you-" One glance at the boy's smiling, oblivious face, and he heaves out a deep sigh. "I mean... We're screwed, but that's okay, because you did your best."

   Out of nowhere, Xukun starts coughing and spluttering, having inhaled his own spit at the sight before him. The redhead from the party, Chengcheng, is sat on the wooden floor, leaning back against the side of Linong's bed. He looks nothing short of confused -- terrified, even -- and Xukun feels a pang of pity in his chest as he watches the boy's eyes flicker between each of their faces apprehensively.

   "Why'd you tie the kid up, Nongnong?" Ziyi asks, although his tone is surprisingly calm. He turns to Yanjun and Zhangjing, his face impassive. "Is this normal?"

   "I don't kn-"

   "Yup," Yanjun responds. "I mean, I've never seen a guy tied up in his room before, but he likes to play 'secret agent' a lot. That, or he's playing 'psycho murderer'; who cares, so long as he's with us, right?"

   A muffled grunt from Chengcheng draws their attention back to him, his hands twisting and tugging behind his back.

   "Sorry, Chengie," Linong says through a contented smile, crouching down next to him. "We just need to ask you a few questions, if that's alright?"

   A stifled groan.

   "Great!" Linong claps his hands together, and goes to untie the cloth that's been drawn between the boy's teeth.

   Just looking at the scene playing out in front of him, Xukun can already tell that this is going to be a _long_ year.


End file.
